Heather Ales Fraoch (Bottle)

Brewed by Williams Brothers (Heather Ales)
Style: Traditional Ale
Alloa, Scotland

Serve in Dimpled mug, English pint, Stein, Yard

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UPDATED: SEP 25, 2009 This is a beer that I had been wanting to try for awhile. As a history teacher/buff, I was very interested in trying Fraoch, an ancient beer brewed in Scotland for a couple of thousand years. I must make one statement. I am easily swayed in my opinions by things that I find interesting. Beer is no exception. The concept of a historical recipe is fascinating to me. I’m not saying that I would give a bad beer a good rating simply because I think it’s cool. What I am saying is that I take into account that historical artifacts (and this would be a "modern artifact") are what they are. If heather ale is not the best beer in the world, it doesn’t lessen its significance. This beer (or something similar to it) was important to people living in Scotland thousands of years ago. To change the recipe for modern tastes would do a disservice to everyone involved. Having said that, I have to say that I was surprised at how, well, beer-like Fraoch looks. I don’t know what I was expecting but this beer looks like beer! Fraoch pours a clear gold, like bottled sunshine. I have read the reviews that say it’s cloudy but I didn’t see it. maybe it was the hefe-weizen I had earlier in the night that "clouded" my judgment. (I can’t resist a pun) The head is a slight off-white. Fraoch really does look nice. The main problem with rating this beer is, what do I compare it to? What stadard do I use? I have never had a heather ale or historical recipe. This beer is unique to me. The aroma is sour, with a very faint floral and hint of alcohol...very faint. I wish I could say it smelled like heather but I have to be honest...I don’t know what heather smells like...this beer maybe? Fraoch has a definite sweet flavor, with a very distant bitterness that flashes quickly and is gone. There is a very faint aftertaste that also lasts only a moment. This beer is very clean tasting, nicely carbonated and very spicy. All-in-all, Fraoch is a good beer. I enjoyed this beer quite a lot, and it is quite interesting, but it’s more interesting than it is tasty. This does not mean it’s bad. It doesn’t mean I will never want another. What it does mean to me is that this beer has an element that many others do not have, along with appearance, aroma, taste, etc. Fraoch has "history" and that gets high marks from me.

A delightful Scottish beer from the legendary Williams Brothers Brewer, a beautiful light and refreshing amber ale. As the name would suggest the beer gives you a real floral experience from the aroma. A lovely smooth and overall sweet beer upfront, a bitter hint comes in however comes to a rather abrupt end quickly, leaving a soft back end taste. A great beer at a great price and availability! This is one of my favourite beers, not only is it an absolutely fantastic beer but it is also revitalising an old Scottish drinking heritage!

April 2008: Brown 500ml bottle with a fancy label. I love trying different styles and drinking around the world while sat at home. This was the second beer on one such evening, a Bulgarian (crap) lager was first, I’m in Belgium next. Froach is gaelic for heather. Heather Ales have been brewed in Scotland for four thousand years and claim to be the oldest style of beer still made today. This one had a life that was due to end before July 2009, I drank it in April 2008. Poured into one of my Gordons thistle shaped glasses it was a really light amber colour with a small white head that left the scene almost immediatley. I like my beers with a head, it’s just me, but that’s what I want to see. The beer may have been a bit to cold as no aroma was present at first, but as it warmed a slight peaty, flowery smell arrived to add an extra dimention to the beer. At first it tasted like a fizzy ginger beer too me. There was loads of cabonisation, but it wasn’t ginger I was getting, there was none of the hotness ginger gives. The flavour was strangely different, but pleasant, not even beery in some aspects. No hops are used in the brewing process and the heather flowers along with some other weird ingrediants gell to make a very interesting beer indeed. I difficult one to nail down, a bit gassy, but otherwise a very different beer. I really liked it, couldn’t drink it all night, but well worth finding. I will buy it again.

330mL bottle. Hazy blonde color, white head. Herbal, floral aroma. Spicy, heather, berry. Taste of pale malts, honey, clove, very herbal. Tastes like a blend of beer and a herbal white tea. (3326).

Gold-Tangerine color with a medium carbonation and head. Flowery herbal sweet aromas with the malts being present. Very light on taste, with a bit sweetness. A nice overall beer, session-able with a flowery aftertaste.

not for me thanks. looks like flat lucozade, heavy malt aroma when first poured but quickly just left with a very metallic smell with a little fruit in the background. tastes....weird! a bit of dark fruit a bit of fruity hops. sweet dry finish. lingering taste which i presume is heather. bottle. morrisons

500 ml bottle into pint glass, best by Aug 2012. Pours a hazy golden orange color with a 1-2 finger dense white head with good retention that reduces to a thin cap that lingers. Some spotty lacing on the glass. Aromas of honey, biscuit, pepper, herbs, light fruit, flower petals, earth, and yeasty spiciness. Some pretty nice and well balanced aromas with good strength. Taste of biscuit, honey, caramel, toffee, citrus, floral, clove, herbs, grass, and yeast spiciness. Lingering notes of honey, caramel, toffee, biscuit, and herbal spices on the finish for a bit. Great balance of malt and spiciness; with a nice and robust malt backbone for a 5% beer. Medium carbonation and body; with a nice and creamy mouthfeel. Alcohol is very well hidden with barely any warming noticed after the finish. Very smooth and easy to drink. Overall this is an excellent herbal ale. Great flavor balance and highly enjoyable to drink.

330ml bottle pours a light golden color with a small white head that leaves very little lacing behind. Aroma is flowery with hints of scotch like peat and herbal notes. Taste is light malty sweetness with some peat and a mild herbal hop bitterness. Light to medium in body with some soft carbonation. An interesting ale that is worthy of trying at least once. Quite unique tasting.

Botella de 500ml. Copa Yard (Kwak). Saboreada en may´11. Color cobre claro y brillante. Algo velada. Espuma túpida, color marfil. Corona fugaz. Intensa fragancia floral y aroma de malta. Sabor fresco y especiado con sutiles matices de menta fresco. Paladar dulce y áspero. Cuerpo medio-lígero. Final de té. Notas de manzana en el retrogusto. Refrescante y sabrosa. Asimilación muy fácil. Buen equilibrio de sabores suaves y aromas. Comentario: una cerveza obligatoria que casi representa un Estilo en si misma. 500ml bottle. Kwak Yard glass. Enjoyed on may´11. Bright light copper in color. Chill haze. Off-white dense froth, brief crown. Intense floral fragancy & malty aroma. Crisp & spicy flavor , subtle fresh mint hues. Earthy & sweet palate. Medium/light body. Tea-like finish. Apple notes on the aftertaste. Refreshing, flavorful. Very easy drinkability. Balanced smooth flavors & aromas. Comment. A mandatory ,almost representing a single Style in itself, beer

Pours light golden and a bit yellow with a big white head. Nose is adjunct malts and corn syrup sugar. Taste is lightly sweet and bitter. Mouthfeel is crisp and clean. Short aftertaste. ---Rated via Beer Buddy for iPhone

Bottle. Pours an amber color with a thin off white film. The heather provides a shot of floral to the nose. There is a background maltiness and a hint of peat as well. The flavor has bready malts splashed with honey and hints of the previously mentioned floral notes. This is moderately sweet, but the spices off set a bit. Light-medium body. Worth trying once.